Adam Scott wins US Masters

His mental demons finally buried and the roadblock that stood in the way of his first major title beaten down forever, Adam Scott is poised to surpass Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy as the top man in world golf, Australian great Peter Thomson has declared.

The man who has won more majors than any other Australian is adamant Scott has become the complete player, and will rise to No.1 in the world rankings - overtaking Woods (No.1) and McIlroy (No.2) - within the next year.

Thomson said the newly crowned US Masters champion was in such control of his game that he was primed to win the British Open in July - a dream scenario for the Queenslander that would eliminate the nightmare of his infamous meltdown at last year's Open once and for all.

''I should think he will be seen as the best player in the world eventually. He will surpass Woods and McIlroy,'' said Thomson, who knows what it takes to win the British Open, having done it five times. ''But it might even happen sooner than that,'' he said. ''I'm very confident he will win the British Open in July, and if he was to do that, then he would definitely have a claim to be the world's best golfer.''

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Scott will rocket from No.7 to No.3 in the world (equalling his highest standing) after holding his nerve under extreme pressure to become the first Australian to win the Masters at Augusta - an achievement that was hailed on Monday, from Prime Minister Julia Gillard down, as one of the greatest feats in Australian sporting history.

The country's newest sporting hero ended Australia's 77-year hoodoo at the event, and also shed his own reputation as a player who could not close out in big tournaments, having finished runner-up in two majors and in the top 20 in numerous others going in.

Aussie Adam Scott wins the US Masters

Australian Adam Scott has won the 2013 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club after he made a birdie putt on the second sudden death playoff hole to defeat Angel Cabrera of Argentina. Photo: Andrew Redington

In a classy performance from start to finish, the much-admired Scott fitted neatly into the green jacket and then paid tribute to Australia's past golfing greats, including Thomson.

But he saved his biggest salute for childhood idol and close friend Greg Norman, whose own storied, but ultimately failed attempts to master Augusta National only served to make Scott's triumph even more significant.

Norman was no less complimentary, or bold, in lauding Scott's clutch performance in the tense play-off with 2009 champion Angel Cabrera, and predicting what the 32-year-old star is capable of in the future.

''I think he'll go on and win more majors than any other Australian golfer,'' said Norman, a two-time major champion.

''Everybody questioned whether he could do it. We all knew it. The players know it.'' Although the man who holds that record, five-time major winner Thomson, respectfully played down Scott's chances of eclipsing his own feats, believing he might run out of time to win another five titles.

However, Thomson said Scott's Masters victory could ''open the floodgates'' for him and fellow Australians such as Jason Day and Victorian Marc Leishman to become perennial contenders in major tournaments. While Day, Leishman, and big names such as Woods, Brandt Snedeker and even Cabrera faltered in the tough conditions, Scott stayed dialled in over every shot, hardly missing a fairway and green down the stretch before rolling in the two big putts on the 18th and second play-off hole that are now etched in Australian golfing folklore.

His stone-faced poise and rock-solid execution are what have convinced Thomson that Scott now has the all-round game - complete with the long putter - to become the one to beat on Sunday afternoons.

That Scott has worked out the formula of scheduling his tournaments around the majors, which he has done the past two seasons, is another factor Thomson says has him ready to become golf's new pin-up boy.

''I think he [Scott] will win another Masters, and that's just for starters,'' Thomson said. ''He's got a beautiful technique. He just doesn't make mistakes, he doesn't hit bad shots,'' he said.

''His whole final round was pretty much perfect. He always looked the least likely to make a bogey when the pressure was on.''

It was just last week that commentators were critiquing the state of Australian golf, given there were only four representatives in the Masters field. However, three of those four Australians - Day (third), Leishman (tied 4th) and Scott - finished in the top five. ''We've got the quality, not the quantity,'' Thomson said. ''And there is no reason why guys like Day and Leishman can't go on to win majors. I think both of those players will become prominent from now on.''

Thomson said Scott and company would have a whole new generation of young golfers waking up early to watch them contend in major tournaments, as they did on Monday. ''It's a great sign for Australian golf,'' he said.